Prayer will lead us through this invisible-but-present blizzard

by Bishop Edward J. Scharfenberger

Wed, Apr 8th 2020 09:30 am

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Be it ever so humble, home is the safest place
to weather a storm. Until this current health
crisis passes, the best thing we can do to take care
of ourselves and one another is not to wander
aimlessly, but to stick together with purpose. We
can stay comfortable at home and we can comfort
one another.

The basics - food and water, clothing, shelter.
Family and friends. Stock up on these and stay
put. If we have to go out, let it be only to supply
the basics. The game, the party, the trip can wait.
Work must go on, of course. Follow the six-foot
rule as much as possible. Spread out whether
in church, shopping, waiting on a line or eating
somewhere.

And pray.

Pray alone and pray together. Use the prayers
you know. The rosary, novenas, the Liturgy of the
Hours. Make your home a little church. Make sure
the cross is visible in a prominent place. If you
have a statue or a picture of the Sacred Heart of
Jesus, or Mary or Joseph, light a candle in front
of it. Invite the Holy Family into your home. And
get out the Bible. Read it slowly. Especially the
Gospels. Let the Holy Spirit speak to your heart
through the Word of God. He wrote the Scriptures
after all and wants to console your heart. Share
with one another what you are hearing. This is
a tried and true method of prayer called lectio
divina, used by so many saints. And, don't forget,
these are the challenges of which saints are made,
and you are called to be one!

It's Lent. So, fasting and abstaining a little
goes with the season. Conserving our resources.
Offering up our desires and fears and putting
them in the hands of God, trusting that with our
faith in the mercy of God, we will get through this
together, even stronger as a family of faith.

No one is under the usual Sunday obligation
in our Diocese of Buffalo to go to Mass publicly
anywhere until further notice, though Masses will continue and can be participated in via internet live-streaming, as parishes can best provide. A full list can be found here. It is
important to take this to heart and encourage
others to be conscientious here, especially anyone
not feeling well, or with health conditions or even
if you are just over 60. Stay home. Use your TV,
computer or phone. Watch the news, but not too
much. Don't have the TV on all the time. Quiet is
very important.

Throughout our diocese, we are working
together to find safe places for those who do
not have family connections or a place to call
home. We continue to watch as we receive advice
and direction from public health authorities on
where to go for testing and care, if and when you
are not feeling well. We will keep you posted atbuffalodiocese.org/coronavirus, on our diocesan
social media platforms, and through local TV,
newspapers and radio, and our own Western
New York Catholic newspaper and website.

If you feel you want to assist in relief efforts
for those who do not have a home, shelter or
emergency care, and if you have the means to
do so, there is an easy, safe, online way of giving
on the Catholic Charities of Western New York
website: www.ccwny.org.

If you yourself experience an urgent need,
there is help for you on that website as well atwww.ccwny.org/services.

It feels a little like we are in a snowstorm, an
invisible-but-present blizzard, where it is not
safe to go outside, at least not without protection
and certainly not unless you absolutely have to.
We will all be safe at home! Much safer than
outside. And God is with us. Jesus passes even
through walls and locked doors, or even the
various kinds of masks we might need to wear to
defend ourselves from diseases and other harmful
invaders. God's breath is pure and healing.

Receive the breath and blessing of the Holy Spirit of God, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.